


Red Numbers in the Dark

by AshesTheTerrible



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anal Sex, Cuddling, Fluff, M/M, Passionate Sex, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:23:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10434621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesTheTerrible/pseuds/AshesTheTerrible
Summary: Shiro is an early riser, Lance is not. But it's been two weeks and Shiro is desperate for the blue paladin.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so fucking deep in this ship. I have too many ideas, I've just got to get them all out. Here's some smut and embarrassing situations.

_Ksssssssht…_

The hiss of the mechanical doors fell on deaf ears as the big things opened to allow entrance. There had been footsteps in the big, empty corridors of the castle only moments ago, their rhythmic sound echoing off the high walls and towering ceilings. But they had gone unnoticed. A long shadow had passed along the hallways, belonging to someone who by all definitions was up to _no good_ …but it went unseen.

It was too early for much activity to be riled in the massive ship.

This was the hour where absolutely everything was stunningly _silent._

The hum of the big air vents tucked high in the depths of the mechanical masterpiece could be detected as the machines cycled through their routine. The buzz of the low overhead lights greeted all who dare to drag themselves from bed at this hour.

They would remain in ‘night mode’ until Allura’s god forsaken alarms sounded and roused the paladins whether they liked it or not. The castles timers were the only things that kept the group on a regular schedule. Without the dimming lights there was nothing but blackness beyond the castle. No sunrise, no sunset…just dark ebony as far as the eye could see…Inky darkness shimmering with the twinkle of stars and the promise of a planet here and there.

He shouldn’t be awake, but he was.

He’d finally just given up on the feeble attempt to get his body and mind to settle down to sleep. He’d woken on and off throughout the night, rustling and tangling in sheets that were either too constricting or too hot. His body was still wracked with the adrenaline of the battle the day previous. They’d come head on with a small Galra fleet and the rush of victory was still singing in his veins. That combination of factors left for an ultimately sleepless night.

His heart thundered with pent up energy that rest couldn’t beat back.

He knew just the way to rid himself of some unwanted tension.

He needed a level head for the day and he had about an hour to achieve it.

He could have wandered down to the training deck and taken the sparring bot for a few rounds. Letting his fists loose on the machine usually calmed him back into an even state.

He sighed.

No, not today.

Today the bot and the ache in his knuckles wasn’t enough.

He needed something a little… _different._

The big man balanced on careful, silent feet as he entered the all too familiar quiet quarters. The room was bathed in darkness, the only light in the small space being a digital clock on the bedside table. It was earth native technology, something with big, red, square numbers that reminded him of his dorm back at the Garrison years ago. He supposed the young man clung to it for a bit of familiarity. Such a simple thing as an alarm clock was enough to remind him of home and did he ever cling to it.

The dark haired man’s heart sunk just slightly.

He knew the paladin missed his home planet.

He missed it too.

In a different world, under different circumstances there would be the faintest streams of light peeking through the cracks of the room’s window. They would fall in warm little slivers over his face, bathing the space in a radiant glow. He hung on how the young man occupying the bed might look stretched out on the mattress, draped in a halo of morning light, his bronze skin nearly glowing against the sunrise. There would be the sound of birds chirping quietly outside, fussing at one another, flitting from tree to tree.

It would be summertime on earth.

It would be the beginning of a warm, gorgeous day, one suitable for day spent lazing by a body of water.

The smell of coffee would fill the room with its’ thick aroma.

But here there was no morning rays, or fresh dark coffee, or birds singing praises to the new day. Here there was just the dark of space and the glow of the boldface numbers.

He set down the bundle of clothing he was carrying.

Better to take his armor with him so he could have every second between now and training to indulge in the owner of the small room. He removed his shoes, then his sleep clothes consisting of a shirt and boxers. With the material stacked in neat pile atop the same chair he’d settled his battle armor in he crossed the spans of the space, bare feet connecting with the cold floor and as a result a shuddering chill ran all the way up through his spine.

Big hands slid over the soft material of the occupied bed, his weight pressing into the mattress not so subtly. He dragged his heavy body across the full sized bed, the thing barely big enough for him and the body that had already claimed space in the comforters. He tucked himself beneath the heavy blankets, layers of fleece and other soft, colorful materials. It was cold in the castle most nights, something he was painfully aware of in his newly nude state. But as he made home beneath the bundle of bedding he was greeted with a prominent warmth that caused him to hum lowly in satisfaction.

Big arms slunk around the contours of the slighter body to his front, the larger man pressing his chest firmly to the other’s back. He very tenderly shifted his legs, successfully tangling his limbs with the other man’s and he was greeted with a low, sleepy groan as a reward.

He nosed into the soft nape of the younger’s neck, wispy brown locks tickling against his chin.

His human palm explored around the other’s body, splaying out across a thin stomach, pleasantly finding no clothes draped over the brunette to hinder his finger’s wanderings.

The young man always slept nude.

He couldn’t be bothered with the way clothing felt against his sheets.

The black and white haired man couldn’t find the will to complain.

He pressed slow, needy kisses across the back of his bed partner’s neck, gaining him another sleepy groan, this one more audible and more along the lines of _annoyed._

“ _Takashi Shirogane you better have a damned good reason for waking me up this early.”_ Lance’s very tired, muffled voice kissed at Shiro’s ears lightly.

Shiro smiled against the back of Lance’s neck, his palms moving to squeeze the breadth of the young man’s hips.

“I believe I do…” Shiro purred as he got his teeth on the shell of Lance’s ear, nibbling ever so softly.

This earned him a completely different noise from the newly roused blue paladin.

A sound that was noticeably less irritated.

Shiro pushed himself tightly against the other man, leaving no room for personal space as he made his intentions for paying Lance an unexpected visit blatantly clear.

Lance could feel the hot press of Shiro’s erection squeezed against his buttocks and he smiled cheekily into the bed sheets, his eyes cracking open just barely in the dark.

“Is that your reason?” Lance muttered, his voice still laced with a sleepy roughness.

Shiro smiled wider, rocking his large hips against the body provided and traced a line of precise kisses down the length of Lance’s neck.

“Maybe.” Shiro chuckled, conscious to keep his voice low, seeing as the red paladin’s room mirrored Lance’s and he didn’t exactly plan on announcing their bedroom activities to the group just yet.

The head of Voltron playing favorites didn’t exactly look great on Shiro’s part, but he was only human after all and it obviously took a stronger man than he was to keep away from the beautiful young man. Lance was something else entirely. Shiro really was frustrated with himself for taking so long to notice. Behind every joke and silly crack, there was this spark of tenacity to Lance. There was vast intelligence behind his eyes and the ability to react to situations as quick as need be. He brought this flare to the group that Shiro hadn’t properly appreciated until several weeks into them being thrust into this giant flying castle together. Being in such close quarters with the same people day in and day out forced them to _really_ get to know each other. It was very quick that Shiro began cataloging interesting facts about the blue paladin. He hadn’t really realized he’d been doing it to start with. He was left hanging on the little quirks of the pretty, bronze man. Like how Lance sang incredibly loud, but astoundingly _well_ in the showers. Shiro had been in the middle of rinsing off after a strenuous bout of training when Lance had strolled into the stall next to him, turned the water on and had just started _belting_ a song that Shiro couldn’t understand the words to. It was something in Spanish, long and drawn out and woefully upbeat and beautiful. Something that had Shiro hanging off of every note.  

Lance was also notorious for strutting around the castle in nothing more than a very thin silk robe. A _very, very_ thin robe. The first time Shiro had been witness to it he’d been half asleep lounging on one of the large couches of the observation deck. Lance had wandered in, clutching some sort of strange drink that Hunk had concocted. He’d plopped himself down opposite of Shiro, the silky material falling in pretty folds over his thighs.

Shiro had tried not to stare, really he had, but he couldn’t help but to be enthralled by the younger man’s gorgeous structure, all framed so nicely by the luxurious clothing. It had brought a bright heat to the black paladin’s cheeks and he’d had to excuse himself quickly.

Lance laughed a little too loudly and wasn’t afraid to attempt maneuvers that were a little too ballsy with Blue…but the man was absolutely captivating.

Lance was a planet all his own and Shiro had been helplessly captured in the man’s gravitational pull.

Shiro was left to happily orbit the astounding young man.

Nestled this close to him, nose buried in his hair, he could smell the coconut shampoo the man always used and the hints of the lavender lotion he slathered himself up with every evening.

Lance constantly got onto Shiro about proper skin care.

He’d fuss over the big man’s scar tattered skin, applying different lotions and ointments to help the broad markings fade with time. Shiro would admit he could detect a very slight difference in the old wound’s coloration but generally he just enjoyed the way Lance’s careful hands felt massaging over his skin. That was the main reason he tolerated the treatment.

“You know this is really cutting into my beauty sleep big guy.” Lance sighed as he shifted and rolled over in Shiro’s arms.

His eyes were tired, still halfway hiding behind heavy lids, but Shiro could just make out the little tinges of blue glistening in the digital light. There was the white of Shiro’s teeth as he smiled in the dark.

Shiro’s lips all but slammed into Lance’s, eager and wanting, tongue sliding in to tangle with the other man’s. Lance quickly shook off the rest of his lingering fatigue as Shiro deepened the advancement, hands searching the length of the younger’s skin, finding a healthy handful of his pert ass and dragging him closer to the black paladin.

Lance grinned cheekily against Shiro’s mouth.

He liked when the big man got like this.

It had been too long since he’d been able to have Lance all to himself, two weeks exactly, not that Lance had been counting the days or anything. The Galra didn’t exactly take days off from consuming the galaxy in their teeth and Voltron had to be ready at all times. And so frantic touches in dark spaces had to take a back seat to saving the known universe.

Lance had to admit he liked the urgency in Shiro’s motions after they’d not been like this in some time. He acted like it had been years, touching every inch of flesh he could manage, kissing like he’d forgotten what Lance tasted like.

The brunette broke for breath, gasping in the spent air from both their lungs and purred as the bigger man pressed the warmth of his cock into the soft of Lance’s belly.

“Somebody’s eager today.” Lance teased peevishly and he was awarded with a rough growl from Shiro’s depths.

Shiro pampered, wet, hot kisses over the thrum of Lance’s throat, feeling the man’s Adam’s apple bob deeply as Shiro’s fingers tightened on the meat of his rear.

“We have forty five minutes before the alarms.” Shiro huffed against Lance’s chin.

Lance giggled lowly and looped his arms around Shiro’s solid neck lazily.

“Well we better get to it then huh Black?” Lance sneered as he craned his neck to not so gently pinch Shiro’s bottom lip between his teeth.

Shiro let go of a vibrating moan and Lance was right there to eat it up with that voracious appetite of his.

The lengthy beauty of a male arched himself against the solid mass of muscle that was his partner. Shiro squeezed his mechanical arm between the press of their bodies and managed to get the smooth metal around Lance’s half-mast cock.

Lance made a quiet, satisfied noise in Shiro’s ear as he bucked slightly, pivoting his hips into the touch greedily.

Shiro had been hesitant about using his Galra arm the first few times. It wasn’t him, it was foreign metal that only reminded of his time in slavery. It reminded him of who he’d had to become… _what_ he had to become. He didn’t see it fitting to touch somebody else so intimately with such a thing. But Lance had reassured he quite liked the way the smooth surface felt against his skin, not to mention the fact that the mechanics were just as warm, if not _warmer_ than Shiro’s natural skin.

Lance purred as he ducked his head and pressed it into the crook of Shiro’s neck, long fingers spreading out over the wide plains of the other paladin’s stocky chest.

“ _Ahhhh fuck yesss….”_ Lance mewled softly, hips rocking against the metal fingers as Shiro curled them around his partner’s shaft, stroking in slow, short motions.

Glossy fingerpads ghosted beneath the head of Lance’s dick, the easy touches quickly coaxing him to fullness. His eager member flexed against Shiro’s fingers, perfectly manicured nails biting into skin just slightly.

“You’re so beautiful.” Shiro groaned as he nuzzled against Lance’s jawline, the words coming out as more of a breathless sigh than anything else.

“I know.” Lance preened with a wide, giddy grin.

Shiro laughed, deep and almost too loud before he caught himself.

Shiro’s false palm opened wide, accommodating both of the men’s erections, pressing the hot flesh together in earnest. Lance made a winded noise as Shiro’s ring of fingers glided up them both, bringing blatant attention to the size difference between them. Shiro’s head oozed against the underside of Lance’s shaft, the man very obviously having been dealing with the throws of his own arousal for a bit longer than Lance. Their bodies lazily rubbing against one another had both of them deteriorating into a blissful state, simply allowing the room around them to sink away.

There was the shuffle of arms and legs as Shiro crawled up and over Lance, the young man giggling giddily as he pecked his lips across Shiro’s arm. Shiro rummaged for a moment or two, very nearly losing his balance and plummeting to the hard floor, before he found his prize and returned to the tangle of bedding with a half used bottle of lubricant.

Lance shifted to flop onto his back heavily, long, lanky arms being thrown over his head in a jovially careless fashion.

Just looking upon him made Shiro’s heart clench tight in the thick of his chest.

Lance careened gently, spreading himself out longwise on the sheets, making sure Shiro got a good look at _all of him._ He was lean and sculpted in a lanky kind of way that gave him some subtle definition. Shiro’s eyes grabbed at the entirety of the young man in the dark, trying hard to make out all his features and log them to memory. He wasn’t sure when the next time he could have the young man like this would be, so he had to savor every little second like the priceless entity it was.

Lance smiled in the shadow, the red of the clock outlining the high parts of the left side of his cheek, his pupils blown and fat with arousal. He lifted his hips in a teasing little fashion, pretty cock bobbing before him, demanding attention unabashedly.

“Clock’s ticking.” Lance playfully reminded the black paladin.

Shiro sighed and huffed out through a smile.

He wished they had more time for this. What he wouldn’t give to simply have _hours_ to spend on the gorgeous man. He’d relish in every last inch of Lance’s bronze skin, envelope himself in kissing all the places that rarely saw the sun, all the tender areas that would have the man melting in his palms. He could spend all day on that, lazing like pampered house cats in each other’s embrace, napping after furious bouts of fucking. Shiro could nearly taste the satisfaction…

But this would have to do for now.

This would feed them both, if only for a small amount of time.

There was the crack of the plastic cap in the dark, then the cold sensation of slick fingers as they teased against the puckered flesh of Lance’s entrance. The young man made a pornography worthy sound as Shiro’s index finger slid passed the ring of muscle with little resistance. Every breathy moan the younger let slide loose from his tongue was going straight to Shiro’s cock. The way the man moved, the way his lids hooded ever so slightly as he welcomed Shiro’s familiar fingers… _lewd_ wasn’t enough of a word to describe it.

Lance’s body silently asked for more in the way that it clenched softly around Shiro’s human digits.

He added another as he blanketed over the thinner man, the two fingers pumping gently, curling skillfully, searching for Lance’s interior weakness.

A winded, sudden moan told Shiro that’d he’d found it.

He smiled as he gathered Lance’s mouth with his own, kissing deep and hard as big fingers very carefully stroked across his partner’s prostate. Lance tilted his head back, interrupting the display of affection as he cried out far louder than what he should have.

“Not so loud little blue.” Shiro hushed him with a small grin.

Lance outwardly shuddered at the ridiculous nickname, hissing out reassuring little sounds of pleasure.  

Lance nodded frantically and slapped a slender palm over his mouth, teeth gnawing into the skin.

Lance buried his free hand in Shiro’s hair, thumbing through snow white bangs as he huffed into the cup of his palm, the heat of his breath flooding his face.

“ _Shiro, Shiro…ahhh fuck Shiro please!”_ Lance whispered desperately.

Shiro chuckled in the shell of Lance’s ear, low and hot.

“Only because you asked nicely.” Shiro huffed before running his tongue up over the curve of the sensitive anatomy.

Lance murmured out something muffled and weak from behind his hand that Shiro couldn’t quite pick apart, but it sounded pleased. Pleased and needy.

Shiro removed his fingers, taking care to apply more lubricant to Lance’s tightness, then slathered down his own cock. He was gentle as he pressed his head against the other man, only adding the first inch. Lance bowed and hissed, eyes screwed shut as the ache from his lover’s girth stung through his lower half. Shiro leaned in to whisper praises to the young man, stroking the paladin’s ego with every lust drenched syllable.

As Lance relaxed around him, muscles accepting the new stretch, only then did Shiro dare to add more. The young man was beautifully taut, his body squeezing Shiro in all the right ways as he refrained from thrusting fully into the space provided. He was warm and wet and _glorious._

Shiro pressed his forehead against Lance’s, his eyes lazy as his mouth hung slightly open. He moaned softly about just how _tight_ the young man was and Lance smiled from behind his hand.

Shiro’s hips pressed forward in experimentation, after so many moments, finally burying himself to the hilt in his lover.

Lance took his hand away, crashing his lips into the other man’s as the heat between them threatened to simply start a fire right there on the mattress. Shiro’s hips rolled forward slowly at first, allowing the other man to adjust and relax, but with the way Lance was moaning and cursing, that pace didn’t hold long.

The bedsprings groaned with the weight of the two pilots, creaking in protest as Shiro’s hips snapped into Lance’s. A side of the frame was bumping into the wall with a soft thud at each thrust, but neither paladin seemed to take notice nor did they much care. Lance was panting Shiro’s name, his mouth slack as his eyes fluttered closed in ecstasy.

The squelch of lubricant was obscene between them, wet and sloppy and Lance could feel the sensation of it dripping down the crack of his ass.

Shiro was hot on top of him, the blankets quickly being kicked away as the temperature on the bed reached a near unbearable level. Lance could taste the salt on the big man’s neck as he dug his teeth mercilessly into him. Shiro weakened at the mercy of Lance’s teeth.

“ _Please harder…”_ Shiro all but begged and Lance was more than willing to provide.

That smart mouth of his wasn’t just good at witty remarks.

His canines pinched hard on the thick of Shiro’s neck, then shoulder, not enough to break skin, but enough to leave a roadmap of marks. Slim fingers traced over wide shoulders, feeling the irregular scars beneath them as they went.

The soft sensation of Shiro’s fleshed hand curling around Lance’s pitifully hard cock sent waves of fire up through the young man’s veins. Shiro knew just how to touch, grip steady and stern as he twisted his wrist and coaxed absolutely vulgar sounds from Lance’s core. Shiro swallowed down his curses as he kissed him hard, eyes sliding shut and enveloping himself in everything that Lance was. He dripped with confidence and allure. He was the most captivating thing Shiro had ever laid eyes on and the best part was, Lance was completely aware of that. He knew he had his pretty little fingers wrapped so tightly around Shiro’s heart that he could pop it at any second. But he dare not. Here in space something this strange, explosive and bright was hard to stumble across. Whatever this was, the two of them still unsure of what to really call it, it was something they both wanted. Though it had no name, it was good all the same.

Shiro’s mechanical hand was tight on the jut of Lance’s hip, the slender dip being the perfect hold for a lover’s palm.

The large man rutted into Lance mercilessly, strokes falling in time with his thrusts. His sheer power made Lance’s head float with a high that only a moment like this could provide him. The man could break him if he wanted, but instead as rough as he fucked, he always ensured Lance was beyond safe. Lance lived for being pampered in the black paladin’s praises and soft kisses.

Lance could feel his belly pull tight, all his muscles clenching together like a new spring.

He was close.

_He was so close._

With a pitiful moan his hips were gravitating toward the other man’s grip, his cock fattening between Shiro’s fingers, head deep crimson as orgasm hit him like a shotgun round to the chest. It came loud and hard, bursting through his core with all the force it could muster.

His first hard, thick comeshot roped up over his heaving chest. Lance’s words were a mess of moans and tangled words, as if his tongue just couldn’t sort out the syllables. Shiro looked on with heavy, fond eyes as the young man’s finish streaked across his front, white and wet, glistening brilliantly.

Shiro guided Lance through his orgasm, slowing his pace only when the other man began to whine with the over stimulation.

Shiro’s fingers smeared through the young man’s come as he gripped the width of his hips, dragging Lance into every stern thrust. Seeing his partner spill his hot pleasure over his chest had Shiro plummeting to his own much needed finish.

Lance cradled his hands on either side of Shiro’s square jaw, dragging him into a lazy, post-orgasm kiss that had heat tingling through Shiro’s every nerve. He groaned against Lance’s lips, loud and rough, hips stuttering forward as the curl of tension deep down in him snapped.

He pressed flush to Lance, searching for all the tight heat he could find as he spilled into the brunette’s core. Lance purred at the wet rush of Shiro finishing within him, hips rotating in a slow, gradual circle. Shiro shook and nuzzled tiredly against Lance’s still racing pulse, small sounds of satisfaction humming on his tongue.

Shiro’s eyes came open slowly, just in time to collide with Lance’s. Both boys shared goofy smiles, all teeth and satisfaction. Lance leaned forward to kiss over Shiro’s face, paying special attention to the scar scribed across the bridge of his nose.

“I love you.” Shiro huffed the words heavily.

The man stiffened then, realization flooding through him like a cold bucket of water had been dumped over his head.

“I uh…” Shiro stuttered frantically.

He could feel the fierce heat as his cheeks flared.

Lance being the absolute beacon of light he was, didn’t skip a beat.

“I love you too, Black.” He said with a sex lethargic giggle.

Shiro seemed to inflate a little, shoulders relaxing as he kissed Lance’s forehead.

“You are something else Little Blue.” Shiro sighed in relief.

It was so stupid, letting the words fall off his tongue while he was still buried in the young man, not really even knowing _what_ they were. Whatever it was, he’d meant it. The swell in his chest was something he could only identify with feelings of love. It went beyond being comrades. It went beyond being team Voltron. It went beyond friends, even lovers. It was the want to stay here in the moments after coming together with such passion. It was the want to simply _exist together._

The kisses Shiro showered Lance with were slow and unhurried, the big man softening while still inside of his gorgeous lover.

His sense of hurry was forgotten in the tender moment at hand.

And then the serenity was absolutely shattered by the ear piercing screech of the castle alarms.

“Oh fucking quiznak!!” Lance groaned as the sudden sound made him jump.

“Shit.” Shiro snarled as he carefully pried himself from Lance’s warmth and tripped out of the bed, hitting the floor hard, metal arm first.

There was another curse from the floor.

The younger man quickly wiped the mess he’d made over his chest with a blanket, grimacing as he simply threw the thing back on the bed with little care.

Lance scrambled out of the sheets, sliding across the floor to his armor and yanking up a pair of black boxer briefs. He immediately regretted not cleaning up first because as soon as he tugged the tight bodysuit up, he could feel the wet sensation of what Shiro had pumped inside him drool from his backside.

“Oh god…” Lance muttered with a shudder.

Shiro was halfway through tugging his own suit pants on, giving Lance a quizzical look at the young man’s clear discomfort.

“I feels like sloppy seconds in my fucking boxers.” Lance snapped the explanation quickly.

Shiro blushed deep.

“I’m so sorry.” He muttered.

“Chop, Chop Paladins!!!  So far I only see two of you in the control room!” Allura’s far too cheery voice sounded over the intercom loudly.

Lance groaned.

Shiro fumbled as he tried to throw on the top half of his armor, dropping it into Lance’s pile of clothing. Hands grabbed and pulled the two bumping elbows and nearly heads several times in the flurry of arms and legs.

Shiro tugged the armor down hurriedly and opened the doors, already off running as Lance followed close behind.

Shiro yanked the bottom of the suit down, but the thing just didn’t seem like it wanted to cover his torso.

Why did it feel so tight?

The two men awkwardly scrambled into the Altean control room, huffing and panting.

Lance was nearly hunched over wheezing as all eyes trained curiously on the two men.

Shiro was still desperately trying to adjust his armor with little luck when he finally looked up to the groups’ very, very confused expressions.

Lance looked down and made the sudden realization.

“Shiro, Shiro you have my-…” Lance hissed under his breath, but Allura’s voice quickly interrupted.

“Shiro…are you...and Lance trading places for the day?” Allura questioned in obvious confusion.

Shiro furrowed his brows and followed the princess's’ eyes to his bodysuit.

It was generally right, for the most part... same style…but… _blue_.

Shiro was pretty sure he was three shades darker than red as he looked to Lance in horror, the blue paladin being nearly swallowed by the black armor set on his shoulders.

“Oh my god.” Shiro groaned.

Shiro floundered as he looked down at the clothing and then to Lance.

“Here just trade me, jeez it looks like you're losing circulation in your arm.” Lance huffed, trying to hold back the giggles he wanted to let loose.

Shiro awkwardly peeled the smaller paladin’s clothing off his big frame and Lance shucked the black armor off. Shiro snatched the suit quickly and righted himself as fast as possible. Lance was grinning like a Cheshire cat as he pulled on his own garment.

“I think you _stretched_ it out a little there big guy.” Lance commented slyly.

If looks could have killed, Lance would have been dead on the spot.

Allura blinked and made to say something, then closed her mouth abruptly.

“Shiro you look…flustered, is everything ok? Are you under the weather?” Allura asked in confusion.

Shiro’s flush deepened and his eyes looked anywhere but at the princess or other paladins.

“I’m fine princess. It’s…it’s been a weird morning.” Shiro stuttered.

“Yeah it has.” Lance parroted cheekily.

“ _Lance.”_ Shiro hissed.

“Alright then…” Allura said giving the paladins another unsure glance.

Shiro was more than grateful when the attention was pulled off of them and onto Allura’s daily news.

He could feel curious eyes every once and awhile and he was sure the slew of questions that would come later would be less than…. _ideal..._ but he would deal with that when the time came.

As the princess went on about the Galra progression, Shiro’s eyes wandered over to the blue paladin for a moment. Lance was fully attentive on the princess's’ words, hanging off every sentence. Shiro breathed out slowly.

The blue paladin was all bright eyes and a tentative posture.

Shiro smiled a little.

What a thing it all was.


End file.
